Natural Gas – Conversions, Vehicles and Technology

Grants Help Rollout LNG-Powered Trucks

July 23, 2009
• by Staff

Thanks to grants awarded through a lottery, which drew dozens of local truck owners and companies, nearly 100 alternative-fueled trucks in Long Beach, Calif. will hit the streets, according to presstelegram.com.

The trucks, which haul about half the daily cargo that is carried into and out of the ports, are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Since the port began its ban on older rigs Oct. 1, there has been a fleet of nearly 5,000 new, lower-emission trucks that are in service.

In a July 7 lottery drawing, 98 trucks were chosen out of 1,200 to receive the most funding provided by local and state grants and port fees.

Port authorities plan to make half of the roughly 16,000 heavy-duty trucks entering port property alternative-fueled vehicles. However, only a few hundred vehicles have been able to make the switch due to a few logistical problems.

By 2012, all the trucks must meet 2007 federal emission standards and must burn 90 percent cleaner air than trucks built before 1989.

Further, port authorities have signed a deal for $46.5 million with state and regional air quality regulators to help subsidize further clean truck purchases. Prices range from $90,000 for a basic diesel model to $200,000 for an all-electric rig.

For more information about the future of grants in California for alternative-fueled trucks, please click here.

The City of Columbus, Ohio, will be purchasing 16 compressed natural gas (CNG) refuse trucks to add to its fleet, partially paid for with $371,600 in grant funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

This online resource was created to provide state officials and fleet managers with an accurate tool to gauge emissions reductions across various medium- and heavy-duty vehicle project options affiliated with the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Settlement.